It was once deemed a stately house “fit for a king” and then for decades it was a town centre bank.

And now the former Lloyds building in Rochester is to be transformed into a swish state-of-the-art dental surgery.

Eastgate Dental Practice, which for more than 20 years has been tucked away down an alleyway off the High Street, is moving to the historic grade listed property with a rich royal past.

The well-established dentists will be expanding to the larger and more grand property and taking on extra clients.

Meanwhile, Dr Manny Matharu the owner and company boss has ambitious plans to renovate the run-down three-story premises which has been empty for more than six years.

Just as passers-by in the busy town would not be expected to know the whereabouts of the current clinic, few would be aware of the royal significance of what became known as Abdication House.

A clue lies above the entrance where a plaque reveals its most famous guest – King James II who stayed there as a semi-prisoner in 1688, before fleeing to France.

At the time the residence belonged to Sir Richard Head, who was MP for Rochester for 12 years and also served as the town’s mayor.

Sir Richard provided accommodation for James II who, in less than three years of coming to the throne, became unpopular for his Catholic inclinations.

It became apparent they would prefer his daughter and her Protestant husband William of Orange to assume the monarchy.

In December 1688 he decided to escape to France but was arrested in Faversham after being recognised and escorted back to London to answer his actions.

En route he stayed the night at Sir Richard’s townhouse, and, after finding his accommodation in the capital unsatisfactory, asked to return to Rochester.

He did so on December 14 and just over a week later he was spirited out of the country arriving at Calais on Christmas Day.

It is not known exactly why Sir Richard’s home was chosen as a stopover, but some regarded it as a safe bolthole that was fit for a king, according to historians.

King James was subsequently abdicated - hence the name of the house which was his last resting place in England.

The City of Rochester Society (CoRS), whose members are committed to the conservation of the town, welcome the new owners to the High Street.

Robert Flood CoRS chairman, said: “We wish Dr Matharu and his team well in their endeavours in breathing new life into a very interesting, but sadly neglected, building.”